Former New York Yankee Hideki Irabu was found dead this morning. This is sad and stunning news for the tortured right hander, and reports are now out saying that he committed suicide.

In his rookie season in 1997, Irabu went 5-4 with a 7.09 ERA in 13 games (nine starts) for New York. In three seasons with the Yankees, he was 29-20 with a 4.80 ERA in 74 games (64 starts). Irabu has his best season in 1998, when he went 13-9 with a 4.06 ERA.

Irabu was never able to cut it completely in New York, and he was in and out of the news over the past several years for negative behavior. Either way, this is a sad ending for a former big leaguer, and our condolences go out to his family and friends.

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